Valda Aviks

Madame Arcati

Valda made her debut at Vienna’s English Theatre inSong of Broadway and decided to stay in Vienna to marry the Stage Manager (Martin Lawton, her husband of 24 years). Also for the VET, she understudied and played the roles of ‘Piggy’ in Hands Across the Sea and ‘Lily Pepper’ in The Red Peppers in the Noël Coward trilogy of one act plays Tonight at 8:00. Other work in Vienna includes ‘Gumbie/Griddlebone’ in Cats (Theater an der Wien – also guest performances in East Berlin and Moscow), ‘Carlotta’ in Das Phantom der Oper (Raimund Theater) and ‘Rebecca’ in Tanz der Vampire (Raimund Theater).

Before arriving in Vienna, Valda was in the legendary original Toronto production of Godspell, playing the role of ‘Peggy’. In New York, she played ‘Gilmer’ in Godspell at the Promenade Theatre. Since making her home in London, Valda has worked extensively in the West End: ‘Carlotta’ in Phantom of the Opera (Her Majesty’s Theatre, also The Opera House, Manchester); ‘Mrs. Potts’ in Beauty and the Beast (Dominion Theatre); ‘Widow Corney’ in Oliver! (Palladium); ‘Eudora’ and understudied/played ‘Felicia’ in The Witches of Eastwick (Theatre Royal Drury Lane, Prince of Wales); ‘Zandra/Irene/Mary’ in Jerry Springer: The Opera (Royal National Theatre, Cambridge Theatre, UK Tour); ‘Grandma Gellman’ in Caroline, or Change (Royal National Theatre). Her Fringe work includes ‘La Goulue’ in La Goulue of the Moulin Rouge (Rosemary Branch, Wimbledon Studio, Bridewell); ‘Florence Foster Jenkins’ in When Florence Met Isadora (Rosemary Branch) and ‘Nanny’ in Medeia (Union Theatre).

Valda’s Television credits include Bad Penny, Little Britain and Children in Need (BBC).

Her Film credits include: Words of Love (BBC FILM 4) and Clive Barker’s Night Breed. Recordings include: Original cast recordings of Cats (Vienna); The Witches of Eastwick; Jerry Springer: The Opera and Les Misérables 10th Anniversary Concert From the Albert Hall.